Hospitals: Governor's cuts adding to financial pressures
The heads of several major hospitals are calling on Gov. Deval Patrick and legislative leaders to undo $33.3 million in spending cuts made last month by the governor, saying the reductions add pressure on a "vulnerable" system marked by two recent hospital closings.
In a letter delivered Tuesday, officials from Steward Health Care System, Boston Medical Center, Cambridge Health Alliance, Saint Vincent Hospital/Worcester Medical Center, Mercy Medical Center and Sisters of Providence Health System Inc., and Lawrence General Hospital expressed "deep concern" over funding cuts for behavioral health rates and inpatient and outpatient Medicaid payments to hospitals that serve disproportionate numbers of low-income patients.
"While we appreciate that the Administration must finds ways to save money to account for a projected mid-year deficit, we believe the deep cuts to our community-based DSH providers is not the solution, and in fact only exacerbates an already fragile community-based care network," the officials wrote in a letter also signed by 1199SEIU official Veronica Turner.
Noting the closure of North Adams Regional Hospital and the pending closure of Quincy Medical Center, the officials said other so-called DSH hospitals are "facing difficult choices moving forward" and expressed disappointment with the retreat from investments made in the $36.5 billion budget Patrick signed in July.
House leaders are actively considering a plan to address the mid-year budget gap and potentially the unilateral cuts made by Patrick.
The Massachusetts Hospital Association also wrote to legislative leaders this week asking lawmakers to address the governor's spending cuts.
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